Stop Yelling, Get the HINT

“High-Impact, No-Trouble” (HINT) Leadership

Working as a youth development professional requires energy and stamina. Energy is needed to ignite
enthusiasm, inspire compliance, and keep pace with active children. Stamina is needed to sustain your efforts
over the course of a day, a week, a session, and the entire season.

HINT is an energy-saving, stamina-preserving approach to leadership. These high-impact, nominally taxing

strategies are best used for day-to-day interactions and routine hassles. They are not a substitute for wild
enthusiasm and forceful direction, both of which have important places in your leadership repertoire. HINT
leadership should leave you with more energy for the times you need it.

To test whether you “get the HINT,” use the Tic-Tac test. (You know, those little mints that supposedly have
just 1½ calories?) If your strategy is effective and takes no more energy than a Tic-Tac, you’ve gotten the HINT.

Case Example: You’ve become exasperated because your kids constantly forget to close the door when they
enter and exit the rec hall. The result is that the hall is filled with mosquitoes. Having been bothered all
afternoon by the buzz of bugs, you have resorted to yelling and lecturing the kids in a vain attempt to get them
to close the door. Instead of getting grumpy, it’s time to get the HINT:

1. LOOK Give a look that conveys your message.

Example: Raise your eyebrows, look at a particular child, and then at the door.

2. LABEL Say what you want in a single word, no more.

Example: “Door.”

3. NAME Say the name of the camper, who probably knows what to do.
Example: “Sam.”

4. NOTE Post a small note, in a prominent location, with a reminder.

Example: Stick a Post-It note on the door that says, “Close me.”

5. SIGN Point to the thing that needs to be done.

Example: Point at the door.

6. START Begin the thing that needs to be done, to set an example.

Example: Close the door part-way, while a child witnesses the action.

7. PLAY Turn the target activity into a game.

Example: Tell the kids they can earn a prize by remembering the door all day.

8. PRAISE Use humor to draw attention to the problem and its solution.
Example: Start buzzing loudly or smile and say, “Could you open it wider?”

9. IGNORE Let the natural consequences or positive peer pressure take hold.
Example: Allow the kids become annoyed enough by bugs to remember.

Dr. Chris Thurber You may use this handout

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HINT Case Studies

Case Example: Write your own example of a scenario that might exasperate you this summer. Think of some
minor, annoying misbehavior that might be typical for the children you’ll work with at camp. Then, think of
one or two ways you might use one of the HINT strategies to change the behavior and conserve your energy.
Can you think of any other HINT strategies besides these nine?

 Example of a common, low-level, annoying misbehavior that might drive you nuts:

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1. LOOK Give a look that conveys your message.

2. LABEL Say what you want in a single word, no more.

3. NAME Say the name of the camper, who probably knows what to do.

4. NOTE Post a small note, in a prominent location, with a reminder.

5. SIGN Point to the thing that needs to be done.

6. START Begin the thing that needs to be done, to set an example.

7. PLAY Turn the target activity into a game.

8. PRAISE Use humor to draw attention to the problem and its solution.

9. IGNORE Let the natural consequences or positive peer pressure take hold.

Dr. Chris Thurber You may use this handout

DrChrisThurber.com with your valid subscription
@DrChrisThurber to Expert Online Training.
ExpertOnlineTraining.com Copy only with permission. © 2019